[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onv_w3KKijk[/youtube]
Young and charming Alejandro hustles, steals and scams his way to becoming his own boss, and provides us with a glimpse into the lives of children surviving the streets in the Iron Triangle of Queens in New York City. Adept at survival, he takes on the care of his teenage sister, who is in great sexual peril at all times.
“Chop Shop” screens March 4, 2008, 7:30 PM at Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario.
From Wikipedia … a chop shop is a slang phrase for a location or business which disassembles stolen automobiles for the purpose of selling them as parts.
A chop shop must be able to take apart a car without damaging the parts and keep them organized. Time is of the essence: more cars processed equals higher profits. Too many cars waiting to be processed require larger buildings which are often located in higher traffic areas. Larger buildings are more expensive and are not as easily rented without giving out more personal information and large deposits. Huge rooms full of cars waiting to be “chopped”, as seen in the movies, is not realistic. There is no advantage to a large inventory, as it can be done more efficiently in a “JIT” (Just In Time) manner by asking a thief only when cars are needed.
Ramin Bahrani’s film “Chop Shop” plays the Toronto Human Rights Watch International Film Festival, March 4, 2008, 7:30 PM.
Chop Shop (USA)
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Year: 2007
Runtime: 84 minutes
Cast: Alejandro Polanco, Isamar Gonzales
Screening Times: March 4, 2008, 7:30 PM
Screens at Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West
Synopsis:
Young and charming Alejandro hustles, steals and scams his way to becoming his own boss, providing us with a glimpse into the lives of children surviving the streets in the “Iron Triangle” of Queen’s in New York City. Adept at survival, he takes on the care of his teenage sister, who is in great sexual peril.
Director’s Biography:
Born and raised in America, Ramin Bahrani received his BA from Columbia University in New York City before moving to his parents’ homeland of Iran for three years where he made his student thesis film, “Strangers” (2000). Bahrani then lived in Paris before returning to the states to begin work on his first feature film, “Man Push Cart” (2005). The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival (2005) and screened at The Sundance Film Festival (2006) before being released theatrically world-wide to critical acclaim. Winning over ten international prizes, “Man Push Cart” was also nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards (2007).
Bahrani’s second feature film “Chop Shop” (2007) premiered at The Cannes Film Festival (2007) where Le Monde declared it: “The major revelation of the Director’s Fortnight.” “Chop Shop” next screened at The Toronto Film Festival (2007), and it will be released in America in early 2008. Bahrani is currently in post-production on his third feature film, “Solo.”
Interview with director Rahmin Bahrani on Cinematical.
Reviews:
cinema scope
scanners :: blog
Slant Magazine
Toronto Life
Overview by Julie Giles
“Miraculous. . . . stunning performances. . . . Now we have an American film with the raw power of City of God or Pixote, a film that does something unexpected, and inspired, and brave” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).
Far from a hyperbolic assessment, Ebert’s appraisal of the brilliant Chop Shop is spot-on. Set in the “Iron Triangle,” a section of Queens in which stolen cars are stripped for their parts, the film offers a wonderful addition to cinema’s pantheon of child heroes: intrepid Alejandro, who is determined to become his own boss and overcome his dead-end circumstances – he lives above an auto-repair shop and ekes out a living scamming, stealing, and hustling. Mature beyond his years, Alejandro looks out for both himself and his older sister, struggling to side-step the pitfalls of a precarious existence on the fringe.
Working in the neorealist tradition, director Ramin Bahrani constructs an eminently believable drama that fully captures both the hardships encountered and the little victories won on a day-to-day basis.
“Following the model of Ken Loach and the Dardennes . . . Bahrani digs deep into Alejandro’s world to create something raw and affecting” (Jason Anderson, Eye Weekly).
Rated 14A.
Program notes by George Kaltsounakis
